Interesting Idea: East Coast Foodshed CSAs

Winter can be a tough time for those of us who want to eat sustainably but live in areas of the country where, frankly, not much is growing. Some friends of ours in Boston told us about their farmshare through Enterprise Farm, a local Massachusetts farm that's bringing something a little different to the table this time of year.

During the summer and fall, Enterprise runs a normal CSA of food grown on their own farm or nearby farms in Massachusetts. Come winter when the pickings get a little slim, Enterprise starts purchasing and trading for sustainably-grown produce from other farms up and down the East Coast.

Enterprise calls their model an "East Coast Foodshed" and defines an area running along the coast from Maine to Florida. According to their website, this "increases year-round viability of small farms" by not only giving them a wider market for their goods but also by working directly with the farm instead of through a third party distributor. The food still travels less distance on average than the fresh produce at any major grocery store - particularly during the winter months.

Personally, this feels like a win-win situation. Farmers move their produce and get much-needed financial support, while consumers get a better variety and quality of fresh produce. We'd love to see similar models adopted in other regions.

What do you think about this farmshare model? Do you have something similar where you live?